Saving good women from bad design

The Femme Den is a design lab focused on the female consumer, powered by Smart Design. We’re designers, researchers, strategists and engineers who bridge the gap between assumptions and realities about design for women. Women buy or influence up to 85% of consumer purchases. At Smart Design, over 90% of our designs have been successfully brought to market. You do the math.

So how can we help?

We’re experts in design and gender.

Femme Den expertise, like many design firms, is deeply rooted in user-centered design. Our approach is what makes us different. We see every design problem through the lens of the female consumer.

Superficial approaches and guesswork just don’t work. Like any consumer, women have a unique set of priorities and values. They’re the gatekeepers of the home and are discriminating about what they bring into it. Simply put, women want more.

That’s why we’re always finding better ways to understand and connect with women’s subtle needs and desires. We combine research, strategy and design into relevant and meaningful experiences that resonate with female consumers of all kinds.

We understand emotions.

The Femme Den champions the idea that women don’t just buy products — they buy into them. That’s because women are sensitive to the entire brand experience and the companies behind them. A woman’s purchase decisions reflect her good judgement–and it’s not easy to gain her trust because it’s personal and emotional.

She’s highly sensitive to the details of your brand experience: from every moment with a product or service to how you communicate with her in the retail environment. It’s all considered a single experience, which is exactly how we approach every project.

Navigating the minefield.

Designing for women is tricky. For clients and designers alike, it’s easy to fall into well-intentioned traps such as “shrinking and pinking.” Our core focus is to guide the way – avoiding traps and uncovering distinct ways to win with women.

Inspired by women. Solutions for both.

And the best part is, if you meet women’s demanding needs, you usually attract men as well. Why? Women are the pickier, more demanding consumer because she often shops for herself, her children, and her partner. We consider women as a filter for good experiences – for everyone.